Container and method of making the same



QBARBIERI v 2,220,312

NE A E 1' E NOV. 5, 1940. Q BARBER] 2,220,312

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 51, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5W Zap Garare 3a r6: erz'.

Patented Nov. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Cesare Barbieri, New York, N. Y., assignor to Dixie-Vortex Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1935., Serial No. 47,521

2 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in a container and method of making the same, and more particularly to a container of paper or similar material in the nature of a drinking cup, ice

5 cream cup or similar article of the character usually destroyed after a single usage, although the invention may be used for other and various purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

10 An object of this invention is the provision of a paper cup, preferably made of a single piece of material and of substantially a true conical shape with the exception that the tip or point is flattened, mutilated or otherwise formed to 15 reshape the general conical contour in this region and enhance the leak-proof character of the cup.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a paper container of the character dem scribed herein of general conical shape and provided with a blunted point and a folded or curled rim formation around the mouth of the cup.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a conical paper cup having a swaged :5 or similarly deformed apex.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and novel method of makinga paper cup or container.

The invention in general consists of a paper 30 cup, preferably formed from a single blank of material, which blank is formed into cup-shape by winding the same around a mandrel on any suitable cup-forming machinery. The resulting cup has the shape of substantially a true cone.

, By means of asuitable forming die, the tip or apex of the conical container is then swaged or otherwise reshaped so that the apex of the cup is blunted and the material in this'region, in most instances, is massed or piled up leaving the cup wall in the apex thicker than in any other region of the cup. In other instances, the end of the cup is formed inwardly into the body portion.

Either before, after or contemporaneously with the reshaping of the apex of the cone, the marginal portion of the cup around the open end thereof is turned or rolled downwardly to provide a smooth drinking rim.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following disclosures, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation'of a cup or container embodying principles of the present invention.

semi-spherical recess.

rounded end formation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the application of a swaged or similar end formation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the application of, a still dif- 1g ferent end formation.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the provision of a combined swaged and rounded end formation.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating an initial step in the forming of the upper margin of the container.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, illustrating the completion of the rim formation.

As shown on the drawings: 1 1

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is shown a conical paper cup It! made from a single sheet or blank of material. The blank is rolled on any suitable forming mechanism into cup shape as indicated by the overlapping portions and the upper end of the cup is provided with a slightly offset mouth 12 having a rolled or downwardly folded drinking rim l3.

When the cup In is initially formed it will have substantially the shape of a true cone terminating at the lower end in a point or apex. After the cup has been so formed,'the apex is reshaped as indicated at H.

In each of Figures 2 to 7, inclusive, a different end or apex formation is disclosed together with means for providing these formations. It will be distinctly understood that the same cup It) may be provided with any one of the apex formations shown in Figures 2 to 7, inclusive, or some equivalent formation, those illustrated being shown by a way of example.

With reference now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the cup [0 is carried by a mandrel l5, which is preferably the same mandrel around which the blank was wound in forming the cup. In this instance, the lower end or apex of the mandrel is formed in the shape of a substantially This mandrel is brought into engagement with a forming die l6 which is centrally bored as at .ll, the upper end of the u bore being flared outwardly so as to intimately receive the lower portion of the conical cup and mandrel. Inside the bore i1 is a reciprocable plunger i| urged outwardly at all times by a coil spring II or equivalent means. The head of this plunger is formed complementally to the end of the mandrel, that is, it is provided with a rounded protuberance designed to fit within the recess in the end of the mandrel.

It will be remembered that regardless of the shape of the end of the carrying mandrel IS, the cup is initially in the shape of substantially a true cone. Therefore, when the mandrel and forming die are brought together, the apex of the conical cup is turned inwardly, as indicated at 2|, defining an exterior arcuate recess at the lower end of the cup. 7

It is to be distinctly understood that the mandrel and forming die may either be stationary and the other movable, or both may be non-rotating, either one may be spinning, or both may be spinning (preferably in opposite directions), as may be deemed most feasible for the particular formation desired. The same. of

course, is true in connection with the mandrels and forming dies shown in Figures 3 to '1, in-

clusive.

In Figure 3, the mandrel lid is also provided with a recess, but in this instance the recess is undercut, as indicated at 2|. The forming die structure is the same with the exception that the plunger head Ila is preferably flat in the central portion with an annular arcuate portion therearound. When the respective parts are brought together, the apex of the cup will be turned inwardly and shaped to fill the undercut recess in the mandrel, thereby providing a cup having at its lower end an inwardly turned crown-like portion 22.

In Figure 4, the mandrel ISD is cut of! substantially straight at the smaller end thereof and the plunger Nb of the forming die I6 is arcuately hollowed at the upper end. Accordingly, when the mandrel and die are brought together, the apex of the cup will be jammed or massed as indicated at 22, providing a smooth rounded tip for the cup.

In Figure 5, a mandrel lie is illustrated which is substantially similar to the mandrel lib. However, the forming die lie is shaped to intimately engage the cup only at a higher region than the forming dies previously mentioned, thereby leaving a space 24 between the lower portion of the cup and the bore I! in the forming die. This die carries a plunger l|c having a substantiaily fiat upper end. In this instance,

. therefore, when the mandrel and die are brought together, the apex of the' cup is swaged or crushed as indicated at so that the cup end will be substantially fiat with a slightly spread In connection with the showings in Figures 4 and 5, it is preferable to have either the mandrel 01' die Spinning relatively to the other or both the mandrel and die spinning in opposite directions to insure a smooth uniform finish at the end of the cup.

The structure seen in Figure 6 includes a mandrel lid of substantially the same character as the aforesaid mandrel l5 shown in Figure 2.- However, the plunger Na in the forming die N is provided with a bulge similar to the aforesaid plunger ll, but this bulge is centrally recessed. The cup II will thus be provided with an inward Is arcuate recess at its smaller end and an outwardlyeatending proiectioninthecenter oi the recess as indicated at 2|. The projection 2| preferablydoesnotextenddownwardlyquitcasfar asthecircumferentialpartof thecuptherearound,sothattheresultingcupwillhavethe same appearance as that seen in Figure 1.

In Figure 7, still another end formation for the cup is illustrated. In this instance, the mandrellleisofthesamecharacterasthemandrel i|c oiFigure 5. The forming die lie is also of the same character as that shown in Figure 5, but the plunger i|e is provided with an arcuate recess in the central portion only, there being an annular flat portion surrounding the recess. The end of the cup will therefore be crushed or swaged as indicated at 21 into a substantially flat end having a central rounded knob thereon. In this instance, also, it is preferable to have either or both the mandrel and forming die spinning while the apex oi the cup is being so shaped.

In Figures 8 and 9, means are shown somewhat diagrammatically for providing the upper end oi the cup with a rolled or turned drinking rim 12. Any one of the aforesaid mandrels II to lie, inclusive, may be utilized, since the construction of the large end regions of the mandrels may be identical.

The mandrel II is provided with a separate piece 2| flanged as at 2| to overlie the upper end of the mandrel body. provided with a depending portion 3| fitting intimately in a bore 20a of the mandrel body, and also with an integral plunger stem 3i depending centrally from the part 2| and fitting intimately within a bore 32 in the mandrel body. The plunger stem is provided with a widened slot 32 extending transversely therethrough, and a pin 34 disposed in this slot is attached to the mandrel body to unite the two parts. One or more coil springs 3| tend to maintain the part 2| spaced from the part II :10 the limit defined by the pin and slot connec- .To provide the drinking rim, a forming member is brought into contact with the mandrel construction. This forming member, generally indicated by numeral 2|, is mounted on a shaft ll for rotation therewith, and includes a conical portion 2| joined integrally by an arcuate portion 3| to a flange 40. The forming member 2| is disposed at such an angle to the mandrel construction that the conical part 2| will rest evenly against the upper surface of the flange 2|. The forming member is brought against the mandrel construction with sufilcient pressure to overcome the action of the springs 35 and press the part 2| of the die towards the part II, during which action the upper margin of the cup II will be rolled or turned downwardly, as indicated at ll, by its contact with the arcuate rior-v tion 3| and flange ll of the forming member. 01 course, during this operation, the member is circumscribing the mandrel construction, or

.the mandrel construction is spinning relatively to the forming member, or both. During the forming of the drinking rim ||,the closing of the space betweentheflange 2| andthebodypart of the mandrel results inthe cup being given a slightly oifset formation l2 which enhances that I have material. The container is further P vided with u provided a new and novel method of making a cup or container which is deemed to be sumciently clear from the foregoing as to warrant no further description herein.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art. V

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a conicallike cup rolled in convolute form from a single sheet of paper and having an upper open mouth end and an inwardly inclined side wall terminating in a bottom tip, said wall having overlapped portions of paper at and for reinforcing said bottom tip of the cup, the layers of paper in said tip being compressed inwardly and upwardly toward said month end and within the confines of said side wall to form a blunted and substantially concave-convex leakprooi! cup bottom adapted to rest on a finger of a user and to carry the weight of the cup and its contents.

2. As an article of manufacture, a conicallike cup rolled in convolute form from a single sheet 01 paper and having an upper open mouth end and an inwardly inclined side wall terminating in a bottom tip, said wall having overlapped portions of paper at and for reinforcing said bottom tip or the cup, the layers of paper in said tip being compressed inwardly and upwardly toward said mouth end and within the confines of said side wall to form a. blunted and substantially concavo-convex leakproo! cup bottom adapted to rest on a finger of a user and to carry the weight of the cup and its contents, said mouth end of said cup having an outwardly turned rim to reinforce the upper end of said wall in an opposite lateral direction from that of the reinforcement in said bottom tip.

. CISARE BARBER-I. 

